The Cost of Justice Anthology was born out of a deep exploration into the lived realities of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in local communities. Our baseline assessment revealed not only the alarming prevalence of abuse, but also the harmful traditional practices and pervasive stigma that silence survivors. Through a series of community engagements, we were privileged to hear survivors’ voices, many of them speaking their truth for the very first time.
From these powerful testimonies, three urgent themes emerged.
- Cost of Justice.
- Trapped in Silence.
- Gatekeepers.
Together, these narratives form the heart of this anthology a testament to resilience, a call for justice, and an invitation to break the silence.
The Cost of Justice Anthology is a South Saharan Social Development Organisation initiative, supported by the Ford Foundation.
From silence to justice
The Cost of Justice
The monetary, emotional, and social price women pay when they pursue redress.
Gatekeepers
People or institutions (family elders, police, courts, religious bodies, health services, employers, etc.) that enable or excuse harmful practices.
Trapped in Silence
The weight of stigma, shame, and community pressure that deters survivors from speaking out.
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Call for Stories
To bring these realities to light, we invited people from across Nigeria to share stories (whether lived or observed), around the anthology’s themes. The response was overwhelming, We received over 100 entries, each one a testimony of resilience, grief, courage, and truth. From these, a panel is carefully selecting 15 narratives that will anchor the anthology, ensuring that the voices carried within it are as powerful as they are representative.
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Call for Artists
But words alone cannot contain the depth of these experiences. Recognizing the transformative power of art, we launched a Call for Artists through Paint-a-thon. Visual artists are creating 2-D artworks inspired directly by the selected stories, turning narratives into images that confront, question, and amplify what too often remains unseen. These works will accompany the stories, creating an anthology that speaks through both ink and brush.
The Cost of Justice Anthology will be officially launched on 13 March 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria, as part of activities commemorating International Women’s Day.
The launch will be convened by the South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO) in collaboration with UN Women, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing gender equality and strengthening responses to gender-based violence.
This event marks an important moment to spotlight the realities women face when seeking justice and to amplify the voices and experiences that inspired the anthology.
Drawing from community insights and survivor narratives, the launch will bring together stakeholders from civil society, development partners, community leaders, and advocates working to promote accountability, strengthen protection systems, and challenge the cultural and structural barriers that allow violence to persist.
Through this collaboration, SSDO and UN Women aim to deepen conversations on justice, elevate survivor-centred approaches, and reinforce collective action toward safer, more equitable communities.
TRAPPED IN TIGER BASE: THE GLORIA OKOLIE CASE
Gloria Okolie is a 21‑year‑old hawker from Imo State who disappeared on her way out one June day, only for
WHATSAPP DRAFTS: WHAT I MEANT TO SAY
Amarachi returns from the city to her family home in Enugu, filling her phone with unsent voice notes to the
WHAT THE FIRE DIDN’T BURN
In bustling Lagos, Ifeoluwa is a bright, outspoken teenager who believes in justice and grabs every opportunity to build a
UNSEEN WALLS
Growing up, a firstborn son watches his mother endure beatings, insults, and open infidelity from his father, while being told
THIS LAND KNOWS MY NAME
After her husband Onyewuenyi’s death, Nkiruka clings to the five plots of family farmland that have fed their daughters and
THE GATE WITH NO NAME
Bintu walks two hours to a small, rusty back gate of a police station to report that her uncle has
THE FEARLESS
As a girl in 1940s Zaria, Hajaratu refuses to watch quietly while older boys bully younger girls, and that same
THE COST OF JUSTICE: WOMEN’S VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN NIGERIA
On Father’s Day in 2025, while many Nigerians celebrated loving fathers, Grace Okoro broke the silence of her own marriage.
ODUGBEGHO’S WOMEN SILENT WOUNDS
In Odugbeho village in Agatu, Benue State, women live with the ruins of massacres that wiped out families, farmlands, and
NOT ANYMORE
Bidemi is 6 when a trusted neighbour rapes her and threatens her into silence, planting shame where childhood should have
MY NAME IS TOLA, AND I AM STILL FIGHTING: A TRUE STORY OF SURVIVAL, INJUSTICE, AND HOPE IN NIGERIA
Tola is a single mother in Nigeria whose dreams of a peaceful life collapse under domestic violence, forcing her to
MISTER OPPORTUNITY
Grace is a fifteen-year-old church singer whose angelic voice draws her into a local music competition and, soon after, the